Billy's Cities

Explore the great cities of the world!

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China, A Little History, Part 5

First Opium War

The Bund in Shanghai symbolizes a century of foreign control over most of the city. Shanghai, once a small port, started to become the large international city it is today when Western powers occupied most of the city as a result of the First Opium War. Bund, Shanghai, China, Asia.
The Bund in Shanghai symbolizes a century of foreign control over most of the city. Shanghai, once a small port, started to become the large international city it is today when Western powers occupied most of the city as a result of the First Opium War.

Welcome to the 19th century.  It’s all downhill from here.  The 19th century was a disaster for China and the Qing Dynasty.  Actually, it was one disaster after another.

With China being a self-contained civilization, the only thing the Qing wanted from the West in exchange for its highly desired tea, porcelain, and silk was silver.  However, millions of Chinese citizens were eager to get their hands [Read more…]

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China 2015 Food Diary, Day 4

I love the smell of French fries in the morning!  I came by a French fry stand in People’s Park in central Shanghai on the morning of Day 4.  I figured, it wouldn’t be open if French fries weren’t meant to be eaten in the morning.  I decided to forgo any of the sauces that were available as condiments.  I usually just salt my fries.  And anyway, condiments such as French Pork meat Floss Flavor, Passion Chocolate Sauce, or Signs Cheese (whatever that is) just weren’t doing it for me.  I tried to get a picture of the woman at the counter, but she was as bashful as she was friendly.  I stopped by a juice stand and got a passion pop–a juice concoction made with passion fruit, pineapple, lime, banana.  Refreshing!

image [Read more…]

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China, A Little History, Part 4

Qing Dynasty (17th and 18th Centuries)

Jade Belt Bridge at the Summer Palace in Beijing, built in the 18th century during the golden age of the Qing Dynasty. Summer Palace, Beijing, China, Asia.
Jade Belt Bridge at the Summer Palace in Beijing, built in the 18th century during the golden age of the Qing Dynasty.

Way back in 1387, barely a decade after driving the Mongols of the Yuan Dynasty back to Mongolia, the Ming Dynasty were nervous about the possibility of an invasion by Mongols then ruling in Manchuria, to the northeast.  In a preemptive strike, the Ming invaded Manchuria and loosely annexed it into China.  About 200 years later, with the Mongols gone and the Chinese only governing Manchuria casually, native Manchus began to organize and by 1616 declared their own dynasty, eventually named Qing (pronounced “Ching”).  The Manchu rebellion overthrew the declining Ming [Read more…]